This is the diary of a Gidi Girl or one in the making. I may be a Nigerian girl in America now, but my hopes and dreams take me to Nigeria; Lagos to be specific. I don’t know how or when I’m going to get there, but I will! Follow me on my journey which hopefully should lead me back to Lagos, Nigeria aka Las Gidi. Fasten your seatbelts Ladies and Gentlemen, it may be a bumpy ride!!!!!
Okay being Nigerian, you get to hear some really crazy and outlandish stereotypes about the various cultures in Nigeria, but there is one stereotype that I HAVE to stick to... Calabar (Efik, Ibibio, Annang, Eket, etc) people can throw down! Okay maybe not every Calabar person can cook, but their culture has some really delectable dishes. I love Edikang-Ikong, Ekpang Nkukwo, Editan and more...
But I really must say my favorite dish of all is White Soup! Afia Efere! Yum! I think it is my most favorite soup of all Nigerian soups I have tasted... Scratch that... Replace Nigerian with African. It the best thing ever. Its basically a really light soup with no oil in it that you can cook with fish and periwinkle and other stuff. You eat it with Pounded Yam and it goes down so easily. If you eat a nicely sized portion, you feel full without feeling HEAVY/SLUGGISH.
When I first saw it, it was funny because I was wondering if they just boiled meat. "Where is the stew", I asked. But I'm open, so I took a bit when I ate it (yes i ate it with my hands), it felt and tasted a little like okra soup but lighter. It draws just a little. But the flavor was yummy.
Now I need to learn how to make this dish myself so that I'm not deprived.
Until then, here is a list of sites with the recipe. Some of the recipes have small variations, so pick the one that is more to your taste. If you try it out, post a pic or video link in the comments below and let us know how easy/hard it was. Maybe we'll have a cook off.
I just came up with an idea... I'm dashing it to anyone who would like to take it and make it a reality... www.boysonthestreet.org. The Boys on the Street Foundation. It would ideally be for a male who wants to give back to young nigerian boys on the street (area boys), giving them food, resources, scholarships, educational aid, maybe even teaching them tech skills, mentoring, promoting converting their street smarts into entrepreneurial savvy.... wouldn't that be great?! Someone please pick this idea up and run with it... its free of charge. BTW it could be run and operated by a woman too. I just thought male to male mentorship was a great way to go.
My new favorite spot to just spoil myself and my diet is Brown Betty Boutique Cupcakes. I was shopping in the Liberty Place Mall in Philadelphia and saw this tiny little standing room only shop packed to the brim with people.
I went over to see what all the commotion was about and saw these beautiful delectable little cupcakes. Some are made with poundcake and buttercream frosting, some with cake cake and real icing, some with fondant. They have some really creative mixtures with really cool names and some really flavorful rich tasting bites. They also have cookies and brownies and other to die for snacks.
To top it off, I was sent jumping for joy when I found out this is a black owned Oprah certified (Shoot.. Oprah is a big deal) local shop in Philadelphia. All things I love to see.
Okay, so I didn't really used to think that East Lansing had any creative arts notches on its belt except for the whole big jazz scene in old town, but I got a little taste of Urban Expression ...
Lifesize handmade chess set?!
Whoa, fancy and functional. Heavy wood pieces probably give a good workout too.
Local Indie/Rock Band?
Double Whoa!!!! These guys were just on a bench in an ally practicing their MUZAK. It was really good.
Graffiti Wall Art??
In little old East Lansing? Triple Whoaaaaa! These works of art remind me of NYC trains covered with tags of gang members. But this is a little different. You can obviously see the artistic element in these. Pretty heavy.
So... In my quest to get that coveted beach body, I decided to start thinking of ways to stay fit. They can be fun. They don't have to be a bore. WARNING: These tips are suggested only for people over age 18.
1) Grab your iPod. Strip to your skivvies. and press play to one of your Fav house DJ's or Naija DJs. Now start dancing around in the house. Chairs and tables are not off limits. Do your best Ciara impersonation. Shake the areas you don't normally shake or that are problem areas. Got a Big butt? Shake what your mama gave ya "O Oh O Oh O Oh" like Beyonce. A little too much love in those love handles, twist and gyrate like Shakira. Make Ms. Jackson (Janet) proud. Don't be shy, you are by yourself and it's a great way to feel more comfortable with your body, your sexuality, and great practice for going out dancing with friends and for your significant other.
2) Got a late night craving for Micky D's? Drop those car keys.. WALK your butt there. You either A) get discouraged about the walk and forget about the late night craving, or B) burn the calories off walking there so you feel less guilty eating it... try to stick to something with less calories. They now have the calorie label on the products. You walk may only burn you 200-400 Calories so if you get an item thats 1000 calories or more, then you are putting yourself further from your beach body than just staying at home.
3) Grocery shopping sucks huh? Well why do you need to keep a stocked fridge? Its just a waste of money. If you know what you are going to cook, just buy those ingredients you need .Anything else, snacks or junk, leave them at the grocery store unless its those healthy celery sticks or apples or lots of bottled water. I think its more fun to do other things than grocery shop, and it leaves the temptation out.
4) This kind of goes along with number 1. Girls night out!!!!! Your highest heels and that crazy need to dance for at least 2 hours straight. This doesnt work if you go to the club to form or front. It only works if you are ready to dance like Sasha Fierce. And rather than messing up the calorie count with drinks, have water or a skinny girl margarita... You'll thank me in the morning.
5)Walk the city. If you are a city dweller, you know this can burn some cals. If you are going to go down town to shop with your girls, dont take the bus or subway or car directly to the station closest to the store... go a couple of blocks out of the way. Then get off and walk. You don't realize how far you are walking when you are having a good convo with your girl pals.
6) Hiking. Yes I said it... Hiking. Black people hike too. Hiking can be fun. The trails really work out your thighs, calves, and butt. And if you are with your girls, once again its a great time to have those one on one convo's about life, men, and fashion. If you are with your SO, its a great time to bring a blanket with you to have a little romp in the woods before hiking back out... That will definitely bring some excitement.
7) Did you see Kim Kardashian in that Sketchers shape up commercial? She was sexy right? Mmmmm Hmmm so this bring me to tip number 7. Try to incorporate your SO in your workout routine. Let him stretch your legs for you, spot you as you lift, and hold your legs for you while you do sit ups to a kiss as a reward. It adds spice to the relationship, it get him motivated to work out too, and both of you are happy with a sexy SO with a toned beach body.
8) We all have heard our mothers tell us to sit like a lady... Yeah thats great, but if you are alone in your office or at home, try more awkward positions. It helps increase blood flow, helps stretch your muscles and lets you burn more calories that a traditional sitting position.
9) Group Sports! I know we women think sometimes that we just need to be cute in the gym on the elliptical. Yeah that can get boring really quickly. Try signing up for group activities and sports like volleyball, soccer, softball, crew, or group fitness classes like zumba, belly dancing, flirty girl fitness and taebo. You get the social support to keep doing it from the group. You get positive reinforcement from them too. You make new friends. And believe it or not, some guys like to see and smell their lady sweat especially when their aggressive competitive side comes out. That can be sexy.
10) You didn't think I was gonna go there did you? Well my number ten suggestion is SEX! Yes SEX can be a real calorie burner. But you just cant lay there. Take charge. prolong the act. Try different positions. Stretch your muscles. You are not doing it right until you get muscle cramps. Its something that works all parts of your body. Especially your legs and your abs. (DISCLAIMER: This is something that I suggest to be done within the bounds of marriage and with proper protection if you are unable to stick to the confines of marriage) hehe had to put it there.
If you haven't seen this before it's bound to make you piss your pants laughing.... shoot, even if you HAVE seen this before, it's bound to make you piss your pants laughing all over again. People have time sha! Double Rainbow Ko, LSD Ni. I seriously couldn't breath after watching this.
Warning: We are not responsible for any health conditions aggrivated by watching this clip, if you have asthma, have your inhaler handy, if you have heart problems, watch with caution.
The guy posted this video in January, but it didnt go viral until When Jimmy Kimmel Tweeted the Video. lol
Here is the guy on the Jimmy Kimmel Show lol
The rainbow was so viral it reached autotunes status... lol
And here's what the Kiddies had to say about it... lol
Wow I was really caught off guard when I got a FB message from a person who will remain unnamed. It left me totally uplifted with the Holy Spirit and a Testimony that your words can bless and curse. Your mouth is strong. And in this day of technology and social media, the words you type are too. It showed me that you have to choose wisely the words you use and use your mouth/hands to bless people. And when you bless them, praise God because that means He blessed you with the ability to be a blessing! After this convo I am truly Blessed and Highly Favored.
This convo has been edited for brevity and to protect the identity of the person I corresponded with.
Person: you are such a blessing to me.I'll live to thank God for sending you to my own world.wherever you are is never a barrier to the unending blessings you sent out to my life.You may not have known this but keep preaching the WORDS.It really work wonders!
Me: Me?
Person: God bless you forever!
Me: Amen. God bless you too
Person: never you stop saying the words of God to your friends on daily basis, that;s your calling
i key into the words you sent sometimes early January and am profoundly promoted today.
You had offered to assist me for a job then even without knowing me personally
Me: wow!
Person: but through that ur goodwill and prayers, God bless me with a job.
working now with ___ here in ___.
Me: we thank God! wow! Keep His words in your heart. i will keep you in my prayers
Person: I will.That's my promise to Him.
Me: God will continue to bless you and your generations
Person: Amem
Me: and remember to be a blessing to others. i pray for him to make me a blessing to others in any way possible, so pray the same. i am sooooo happy for you
Person: i will by his good grace!
Me: wow. i dont know you but im filled with joy for you. we thakn God!
Amen
Person: Amen.say it again! There is power in your mouth...use it wisely. Bless and bless always. snatch people from devil kingdom to the Kingdom of God.Go for it...God will continue to lead you. in the mighty name of Jesus! Amen.
Me: Amen!
Well have a blessed day ____! dont be a stranger either and congrats on your job!!!!
Person: Never will be! Am a full blown , tested and confirm child of God.
Me: Halleluiah
Person: God have taken me through the wilderness to the promise land and this is the palce to be.No going back! In his presence, there is fullness of joy!
I love Philadelphia so much. I have lived in MANY MANY places and been to many cities but Philly really does it for me. Anyway I took a walk in the park and thought I would show you pictures from my little excursion.
(fountain at Rittenhouse Park)
Rittenhouse Park is a cool place to go. There are restaurants and shops all around the park area. The park itself is a cool place to just sit and relax with friends on one side and a starbucks coffee from the barnes and nobles on the corner in hand.
(local african drum musician playing for children in the park)
You usually find performers giving free shows in the park: singing, dancing, capoera, and more. You usually see bistanders in the park adding crowd participation.
(my new best friend... for the day)
You also see trendy city dwellers romping around in the park with their best pooch pals.
So I am not a techie in any way. I can't code and such, but I love tech related things. I love the newest tech toys that come out. You will catch me eyeing phones, laptops, 3D-tvs lol yes thats me. And I love tech companies, apps, and such because its so amazing how people can make million dollar start ups from an idea and an ability (coding) and ability to make it popular. Other products, you need actual materials to build, capital, etc, but if you have a great idea and can show a beta version of a product, people will pay you to make it big and monetize it. Well this is my non-tech, non-business saavy take on the whole process.
So that being said, I will start talking about tech stuff on tuesdays. But because I just couldn't wait, I just wanted to post the following cool things I found...
2)Along the same lines, here's another one TechLoy http://www.loyokezie.com/ pretty cool sites & lets me keep up with tech info so i can impress my techie friends
4)I like the concept of www.ahhha.com you never know if your idea will hit. Post it up and see what people think.
5)Here is Go2Gurl... a pro service 4 Nigeria. Its for Nigerian professional who are a) moving back, b) opening a business, c) need a professional assistant and need professional help doing it all. If this is you, use http://www.go2gurl.com but my question is "is it worth it/would you use it?"
6) Lastly, I was on Craigslist the other day and just to check, I realized there is no Craigslist in Nigeria. There is one in SA, Ghana, but no Naija. Whats up with that? Do People really consider us that shady? Maybe we've been banned... hope not.
Anyway interesting things. Let me know what you think or if there is something that you recommend
So this is a late post. The picture is from about a month ago, but I took my hair out of my token weave and decided to go get it cut. It seriously needed a cut, because split ends were making it look like a seriously hot mess. Anyway I went to the salon and I sweat this woman has the magic touch. Usually, I go to the salon and it takes them forever to wash and dry my hair because it is long and natural.
(These are old pics of my crazy hair. You rarely see my own hair nowadays because weaves have invaded my life)
This time, I think it took less than 30 mins to wash dry and press my hair. Miracle Workers! Trumpets blowing. Tada! This is the result. 30 minutes later my hair was 4 inches shorter. Check out the pics. Let me know if you like the cut/style. I may keep it like this for a while.
So yesterday I had a Thai craving and decided to hit my favorite spot Thai Kitchen in East Lansing, which i like to call Thai Kitty (i think my friend Bunmi put me onto them and that nick name) for early dinner.
Anyway They never Fail! I'm thankful for thailand... Their Shrimp Pad Tai hit the spot. Thai ppl sure know how to blend contrasting things well in all aspects of life. They eat sweet and savory food, they are friendly with a no nonsense attitude, and their city is a mix of rural and urban flair!. And Thai people I've met are so open to get to know others no matter the culture. They only care that you are nice! I LOVE them. Sawatdee Kaa my beautiful Thai People! Love ya
Okay, back to the reason I blogged. That thai dinner reminded me to blog about this cool new transportation service I ran across in Michigan. Its called Spar-Thai! So fitting. The place is owned by David Thorin and his uber-sweet Thai wife! She is so nice. Her smile alone sells the business. Anyway they were inspired by the Thai cabs that take people from place to place in Thailand... like Nigerian Okadas, but with cabooses attached.
(Picture of the thai scooters, Ask Mr Thorin about their story, you will be pleasantly surprised)
They opened Spar-Thai to add a eco friendly way for students to get around and also for new students and families to get tours of the city and campus. The bikes are pedal/battery operated and go about 15mph. Their prices are much cheaper than the cabs around Lansing or even the Green Cabs, which I happen to use often. Sorry green cabs, I think I found a nice summer alternative for when I'm not in a rush.
The Spar-Thai brand also doubles as a laundry service for MSU Campus Students because it is right in the heart of the Campus Social Center (Grand River Ave). If you need a ride or just want to see what its like, call 517-333-8700. They are also looking for scooter operators so if you are a student and need a job, call them. www.spar-thai.com
(Mrs Thorin and their little puppy pose by the scooters)
(toy version of the Thai scooters that inspired them, made of Sprite and other Coke brand Cans)
Anyway this is another reason to love my Thai sisters and brothers!
Sidenote: I wonder if this idea would work in Nigeria? Maybe Maybe not.
I'm Miss Adelaja. I'm a student, an artist, a fashionista, an innovator, and entreprenuer. Watch me as I navigate through this thing called life on a mission to succeed. Who know where it will lead me? US, Naija, Europe, the Moon. Lets go there. I know you will enjoy the ride.
